Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 9004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 977

A Scarce and Well Documented Campaign Pair to Private H.J.T. Stringer, City of London Imperial Volunteers, Late Able Seaman Royal Navy, Who Whilst in Pursuit of a Goat Only Narrowly Avoided a Grisly Fate at the Hands of Several Thousand Tribesmen Outside of Swato, 1895 East and West Africa 1887-1900, for M´wele 1895, two clasps, Brass River 1895, Benin 1897 (H.J.T. Stringer H.M.S. Barrosa), partially officially renamed; Queen´s South Africa 1899-1902, three clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg (341 Pte. H.J. Stringer, C.I.V.), light contact marks, therefore very fine, together with the following contemporary related items and documents &c.: - Presentation Half Hunter Pocket Watch, silver, by H.E. Peck, London, lacking glass front - Recipient´s original Parchment Certificate of Service, Royal Navy - Original Parchment Certificate granting ´Harry John Thimbleby Stringer´ Freedom of the City of London, in original leather wallet embossed with the following ´Presented to the Members of the C.I.V. Upon Their Return from South Africa 27th October 1900. By Oakes Bros. & Co., London´ - Original group photograph of recipient in Naval Uniform holding a stick, reverse of photograph annotated, ´Pop when in the South African Navy [sic] sitting with carved ebony stick afterward sold to Cecil Rhodes´ - Four Original photographs (including 2 portrait) of recipient whilst serving in the C.I.V.; with a Studio photograph entitled ´Local C.I.V.´, featuring ten individuals including recipient and Sergeant Engleheart, V.C. - Original diary dated 1894, in which recipient started to keep a record of events of his voyage to Africa - Letter from recipient to his mother, from H.M.S. Barrosa, Melendi, British East Africa, dated 12.11.1895 - Letter from recipient´s brother, with original envelope addressed to ´H. Stringer A.B., H.M.S. Barrosa, Louveneo Marques, Delgoa Bay´, dated 1896 - Original page from The Illustrated London News´, 12.10.1895, entitled ´Recent Warfare in British East Africa´, which the recipient has annotated - including ´Zanzibar soldiers known as an Askari - unreliable soldiers´ - Original page from The Graphic showing photographs of M´wele, including ´The Inner Gate Leading Into Mwele´, by which the recipient has written, ´On sentry at this gate from midnight to 4am, on night of capture could have been shot easily by any prowler, put the wind up me´; with another cutting from the same publication, ´The Taking of Gwato´ - Newspaper cuttings, including one from the Barnet Press, where part of one of the recipient´s letters has been published (lot) Estimate £ 700-750 Harry John Thimbleby Stringer, born Barnet, Middlesex, joined the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class, 1891; served as Ordinary Seaman in H.M.S. Blanche, 4.3.1894-28.8.1894; served in H.M.S. Barrossa 29.8.1894-3.9.1897, whilst serving in the latter Stringer sent a number of letters home to his mother, the following extract was published in the Barnet Press under the title ´´A Barnet Boy´´s Benin Experiences´´, ´´When we reached a place called Sepele we found that we were not to land with the Admiral´´s division, but with the Widgeon we were to go up another creek to attack the second principal town, called Gewato. So after taking on board the Philomel´´s men off we went... we anchored, and went on with the boats towed by steam launches, a three pound Hotchkiss gun in the bows. This was on the 10th....... We at last sighted one of the enemy´´s towns, called Gilly Gilly. The three pounders opened fire into the thick bush, and then we rushed out of the boats into the town, but found it deserted, and we set the place on fire, and started up the river again. After about four miles we came to a sort of landing place; here we disembarked, leaving the big guns to protect the boats. We followed a beaten track through the bush till we suddenly came upon Swato. We marched through the place, which appeared deserted only recently, as fires were still burning. We saw some shocking sights - men tied to trees with large stakes driven through their bodies, and others fearfully mutilated. The stench was horrible. The Ju-Ju House (a large building made of hardened clay, and covered with hideous figures) had inside horrible looking idols made or sculptured out of the same sort of clay with a kind of altar in front of each reeking with the remains of human sacrifices evidently only just performed. After being in the town about half-an-hour a chum and myself caught sight of some goats; and, thinking one would make a nice supper, we gave chase, and followed into the bush in pursuit, getting every moment further and deeper in. I at last succeeded in catching one on the end of my bayonet, when we were alarmed by hearing a loud hubbub of voices a little way in front, which speedily grew into a long yell. We started back in haste, taking the goat with us. We had not run far before we were startled by seeing some of the enemy emerge from a side track just in front of us. Visions of the wooden stakes and other torture floated before my eyes..... Bending down, we made a dash for the town... Other troubles, however, overtook us. Footsteps were heard pattering behind, and fast overtaking us. I suggested to my chum that we should hide till they had passed, and if not too many attack them. So we dropped into the bush (one each side), and waited till they came up; and there being only two of the black demons, my chum shot one and I bayoneted the other. We then did a rush for the clearing. The enemy, however, were pretty thick in the bush, and bullets came flying around us. I only marvel that we escaped them; but beyond receiving a shot which entered my cartridge pouch and stopped there we were not touched. When we emerged from the track we found our men were just going to deliver a volley into the very bush we were leaving. We yelled at the top of our voices, and luckily they saw us in time. By this time the enemy were around us in their thousands; and under cover of the thick bush, were creeping up closer and pouring in a withering fire.´´ (Newspaper cutting included in lot refers); having made good his escape from this predicament Stringer left the Navy only to join up for further service with the C.I.V. during the Boer War; he settled in Western Australia in 1908 later becoming involved in the Royal Perth Yacht Club.

Sold for
£1,500